How to destroy a civilization

All great rulers have one thing in common: they have to fall. Tsarist Russia was once one of the world's most influential nations, giving rise to some of the greatest music, dance and literature in human history. However, today, as Putin's military aggression harks back to the Soviet age, the delicate global political balance is in jeopardy once again. Walter C. Clemens, Jr examines Russia's transformation from the culture that spawned War and Peace, and Swan Lake, to a country where thousands of intellects and artists are fleeing from rampant oppression, censorship and shame.